Section 7-Board Policy on Procurement of Supplies, Materials and Equipment

6320A - PURCHASING

Purchasing - General Provisions

A. All purchases shall be by purchase order processed through the business office.

B. The Chief Financial Officer shall be the contracting agent for all financial obligations.

C. The Chief Financial Officer shall be responsible for encumbering the funds as soon as the purchase order has been issued.

D. A verbal financial commitment may be made only for emergencies or when it is impossible or impractical to precede the purchase with a purchase order. Before such a commitment is made, the Chief Financial Officer shall be contacted for prior approval and for a purchase order number. In all such cases, a purchase order shall be issued as soon as possible after the commitment is made.

E. Employees are forbidden to use the name of the District, any discounts provided the District, or any other means for associating a personal purchase with the District. They are to make clear to any District supplier from whom they are purchasing an item that it is a personal purchase by the employee and is not associated with the District. Failure to abide by this provision could lead to disciplinary action.

F. Confirming purchase orders will be honored only in cases cited in the above paragraph.

G. Ongoing commitments such as service contracts and leases should be renewed at the renewal date.

H. Blanket purchase orders for goods or services are valid only for the time period and amount indicated on the purchase order. Extension of the commitment beyond that time and/or amount shall be confirmed by a new purchase order. Blanket purchase orders must be approved by the Chief Financial Officer before they are issued.

I. Purchases of contracted services shall be negotiated either verbally, by a Request for Proposal, or through the bid process, as determined by the Superintendent. Such services that cost more than the State-allowed bid minimum require the approval of the Board.

J. The Chief Financial Officer will determine the most appropriate method of obtaining prices for items or groups of items which are not subject to formal bidding procedures.

K. Purchases of supplies, materials, and equipment items costing more than the amount stipulated in Board policy must be obtained through competitive, sealed bids and be approved by the Board.

L. Annual purchase order cut-off dates shall be as follows:

1. Purchase orders must be received in the Business Office on or before the last day prior to the close of the fiscal or project year, unless the services or supplies are essential to continue the daily operation of the department or building for the remainder of the current year, or unless an emergency exists.

2. Requests for purchases of equipment, materials, improvements, or remodeling that will be subject to a bidding procedure must be sent to the Business Office on or before the April 1 prior to the end of the fiscal or project year.

Purchase Order Procedure

A. The requestor completes the requisition-purchase order in accordance with AG 6320B1 and submits it to the principal/supervisor for review and approval.

B. If approved, the principal/supervisor retains a copy and sends the original to the building secretary for verification and dating.

C. The requisition-purchase order is entered into the computer for verification, and if verified, the building secretary affixes a date and assigns a number.

D. The building secretary then sends the requisition purchase order to the Chief Financial Officer for approval.

E. The original copy of the requisition-purchase order is sent to the vendor unless there are specific instructions to the contrary.

Payment of Claims Procedure

A. When delivery is made, the principal/supervisor checks the pink copy of the requisition-purchase order to ensure the order has been received correctly and in proper condition.

B. If so, the packing or delivery slip is initialed, attached to the pink copy of the requisition-purchase order, and both the pink and blue copies are sent, within five (5) working days, to the Accounts Payable Clerk for payment.

Section 7-Board Policy to Establish Reimbursable Expense Categories

1440 - REIMBURSEMENT OF JOB-RELATED EXPENSES

The Board of Education shall pay the expenses of administrative staff members when they attend administrative meetings approved in accordance with Board policy and in accordance with the administrative guidelines of the Superintendent. Any expenses paid for or reimbursed by the District for overnight travel must be approved by the Board or its designee prior to incurring the expense and after returning (see Form 1440A F1). No individual may approve his/her own travel or travel expenses.

The Board shall provide for the payment of the actual and necessary expenses, including traveling expenses, of any administrative staff member of the District incurred in the course of performing services for the District, whether within or outside the District, under the direction of the Board and in accordance with the Superintendent’s administrative guidelines.

Any reimbursement for other job-related expenses shall be approved by the Superintendent.

Whenever a staff member is unable to provide appropriate expense documentation, s/he may be reimbursed upon written and signed employee verification that the expenses were actually incurred on behalf of the District and written approval of the expenses by the Board or its designee.

1440A - JOB-RELATED EXPENSES

Expenses which are incurred by administrative staff members as a result of authorized travel in and outside of the District will be reimbursed to the extent provided for in these guidelines. Reimbursement is intended to provide for transportation, lodging, and food of reasonable and adequate quality. When traveling on school business, an administrative staff member is expected to use the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person would exercise if traveling on personal business.

Authorization

A. Any expense paid for or reimbursed by the District for overnight or out of state travel must be approved by the Board or its designee prior to incurring the expense and after returning (see Form 1440A F1).

B. Travel within or outside the District which does not involve overnight or out of state travel, is to be authorized by the Superintendent.

C. All such requests must be submitted to the Board at least thirty (30) days prior to the date a decision is needed. Forms are available in each school office.

Procedure

A. Each request for travel or conference funds should detail the reasons for the expenditures and should not be labeled in broad general terms (see Form 3243 F1).

B. Travel should be by the most direct and economical route.

C. All persons authorized to travel on official business should keep a memorandum and receipts of expenditures properly chargeable to the Board. Administrative staff members might find it advantageous to charge as many expenditures as possible on credit cards. The itemized statement may serve as a receipt, with reimbursement available to pay the charges.

D. For official travel other than by automobile, tickets may be purchased by the District in advance, upon request of the individual involved.

E. In all instances of travel reimbursement, full itemization of expenditures is required.

F. Those doing such traveling should be expected to exercise the same care in incurring expenses that they would in travel on personal business of their own. Excessive and unnecessary travel will not be approved or reimbursed.

Reimbursement

A. Reimbursement for travel, rooms, meals, and other meeting expenses shall be made, within budgetary constraints, at the current rates approved by the Board and on the basis of itemized expense accounts and submitted on Form 1440A F1.

B. Travel outside the School District will be reimbursed at the regular fare rate charged the general public by common carrier, unless travel by private conveyance is more economical, in which case mileage will be reimbursed at the IRS rate. (If staff members attend meetings as a group, the allowance will be made accordingly.) Taxi fare from conference destination to terminal and return is allowable with receipt.

C. Lodging and meals will be reimbursed

1. at a reasonable per diem rate;
2. however, per diem amount for meals may not exceed $50 for state conferences and $75 for national conferences, and the per diem for lodging not to exceed $250 unless approved by the Superintendent.

All claims must be supported by original receipted bills.

D. Reimbursement for reasonable charges for tolls, lodging, parking, taxis, official telephone calls, and tips will be made upon presentation of supporting receipts.

E. Registration fees, exclusive of personal dues, are reimbursable.

F. Reimbursement will not be made to staff members attending required administrative meetings conducted by the District and/or the Superintendent.

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Nondiscrimination Clause/Title IX

It is the policy of the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency not to discriminate in its policies and practices with respect to compensation, terms, or conditions of employment because of an individual's race, color, religion, sex, national origin, height, weight, marital status, political belief, genetic information, disability or handicap which does not impair an individual's ability to perform adequately in that individual's particular position or activity.